Stop 1 of 3Bronx Zoo5 hours
Itinerary noteFamilies can spend the day meeting animals, lingering where children are most engaged.
Young children3 days
3 days in New York with kids, beyond Manhattan
Give the family three days beyond Manhattan, starting at the Bronx Zoo at a child’s pace. Day two pairs Queens science with lunch in Flushing, then day three heads to Coney Island and the aquarium.
Day 1
The Bronx Zoo at a child's pace
3 routed stops · about 7 hours including travel
A glimpse inside the itinerary builder
Walk 1 minute · 66 m
Stop 2 of 3Bug Carousel30 minutes
Itinerary noteThe Bug Carousel, opened beside the Butterfly Garden in 2005, was the first carousel devoted entirely to bugs and carries 64 hand-carved, painted insect figures.
Walk 21 minutes · 1.7 km
Stop 3 of 3Full Moon Pizzeria1 hour
Itinerary noteJoe Lo Presti has operated this Bronx location since 2023, and the same location had operated as Full Moon Pizza beginning in 1976.
01
Bronx Zoo
Families can spend the day meeting animals, lingering where children are most engaged. Admission with Star Attractions starts at $38.20 for adults 13 and up and $28.20 for children ages 3 through 12; children through age 2 enter free. The Children’s Zoo, Butterfly Garden, Wild Asia Monorail, and Zoo Shuttle operate seasonally, so do not expect them in every season.
Time here5 hours
Price level
Walk 1 minute
02
Bug Carousel
The Bug Carousel, opened beside the Butterfly Garden in 2005, was the first carousel devoted entirely to bugs and carries 64 hand-carved, painted insect figures. Its sliding glass doors close in cool weather, allowing the outdoor ride to keep running throughout the year. It is included with standard zoo admission, while Limited Admission holders pay $7 per rider.
Time here30 minutes
Price level
Walk 21 minutes
03
Full Moon Pizzeria
Joe Lo Presti has operated this Bronx location since 2023, and the same location had operated as Full Moon Pizza beginning in 1976. After the carousel and zoo wandering, make this budget-friendly restaurant the day’s last stop before calling day one complete.
Time here1 hour
Price level
Day 2
Queens science, then lunch in Flushing
3 routed stops · about 5.5 hours including travel
01
New York Hall of Science
New York Hall of Science is the morning’s science-museum stop, with exhibition spaces and theaters to explore as a family. Wheelchair access extends through the exhibits, theaters, restrooms, café and shop, and service animals are welcome. A limited number of wheelchairs can be borrowed at the entrance by leaving an ID as a deposit.
Time here3 hours
Price level
Walk 3 minutes
02
New York Hall of Science - Preschool Place
Preschool Place gives children six and under a museum play session alongside their accompanying adults. Use this stop for shadow-and-light play, the train table, and tinkering or building; infants have their own dedicated area before lunch.
Time here1 hour
Price level
Drive 6 minutes
03
Asian Jewels Seafood Restaurant
Asian Jewels Seafood Restaurant is a long-running Flushing dim sum palace, with chandeliers, oversized round tables and private rooms. Make it the lunch stop after the science museum; weekday service begins at 10:00 AM and continues through 11:00 PM. Expect a moderate-to-upper-moderate bill.
Time here1 hour 30 minutes
Price level
Day 3
Coney Island and the aquarium
3 routed stops · about 7 hours including travel
01
New York Aquarium
New York Aquarium gives the family a full animal-focused morning before the day turns toward Coney Island. If lunch is needed on site, the Seaside Café has familiar options including pizza, hot dogs and chicken tenders with fries; nursing parents can use the seated, powered Lactation Station between Spineless and Playquarium.
Time here3 hours
Price level
Walk 2 minutes
02
Liman Restaurant
Liman Restaurant has been a South Brooklyn landmark since 1999, pairing Turkish-Mediterranean cooking with a seafood specialty. It is the meal after the aquarium, with vegetarian choices giving the table an easy alternative before the short walk to the rides.
Time here2 hours
Price level
Walk 4 minutes
03
Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park is the afternoon's chance for the family to choose a few Coney Island rides together. Entering the park costs nothing; load ride credits onto a Fun Card, and save any unused balance for another visit. There is no height threshold for either the Wonder Wheel or Spook-A-Rama, while the other rides set their own limits.
Time here2 hours
Price level
A few useful details before you go
- Does this itinerary account for travel between stops?
- Yes. Every adjacent stop has a planned walking or driving leg, so the time between places is part of the day rather than an afterthought.
- What backs the place details?
- The place details come from information we compile for trip planning and turn into practical guidance. Always confirm time-sensitive details such as opening hours and ticket rules before you go.
- Is the whole itinerary free?
- Yes — every day of it, with the stops, the timings and the travel between them. Paid planning is the separate, one-time purchase: it plans around your own dates, your hotel and your constraints rather than a general trip shape.